Car construction



May 7, 1940. c. w. MILLER CAR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed March 8, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l T it WW W R W 2 m N N N m NM .3 u a .3 NM m MM w. y I B L. 5: Zr f r 3 1H I. 8. w 32 PC 54 $5 Z a 0 m a N E RN 3 MN h vw ww MN m w r: Nu 4. N N Q. R QR E m E 2 N Er e?" a E. KN

'May 7, 1940. w, M LL R 2.199545 CAR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed March 8, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR May 7, 1940. c. w. MILLER CAR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed March 8, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR H IIIIIII': i

Patented May 7, 1940 UNITED STA ES CAR GONSTRUCTIQN= Carl W. Miller, Beaver Falls. 1 a assignor to Pressed Steel Car Company, 1110., Pittsburgh,

Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 8, 1937., Serial No. 129,657 v Renewed September 29, -1939 i 21 Claims. 7 (cries- 272) discharge lading. The body when in-normal position is supported in stable equilibrium on laterally spaced bearing surfaces of the underframe and moves to dump position on bearing surfaces spaced outwardly of the supports for thebody and underframe.

in stable equilibrium. A mechanism for controlling each door is mounted onthe body and is actuated by relative movement between the body The door controlling mechanism must hold the doors in closed position when the body. is in normal position and selectively release the door for opening at the dumping sideonly as the body tilts upon the underframe. The

door operating mechanism is therefore entirely automatic and controlled by the body in its various positions relative to the underframe. Some means must be provided for actuating the body, but such means forms no part of the presentinvention and any one of. a number of suitable body tilting means well known in the art may be used.

The dump vehicles herein described handle a variety of lading and are exposed to-all kinds of weather conditions so that there are times when the door at the discharging side of the body adheres to the lading and is prevented from opening as the body is'tiltcd. At other times, previously discharged lading or other obstmctions at the side of the vehicle will engage the door after same has begun its opening movement upon tilting of the body and will prevent further downward movement of the door. For these reasons it becomes necessary to provide means whereby the door control-mechanism. does not. positively actuate the door in its'opening movements and the herein described invention exercises positive control of the closing movement but not the opening movement of the door. It is necessary, however, to provide some control of theopening door, otherwise the door dropping freely upon tilting of the body and under the weight ofthe discharging lading would be damaged upon abruptly striln'ng the vehicle or other means provided to limit the opening of the door. For this reason the present invention limits the rate of opening of the door by .therate of tilting of the body. This restraintupon the door is utilized to assist in-tilting the body and therefore reduce the necessary size of body tilting mechanism. Y

This invention pertains generally todump vehicles having a.ti1tingbody and the side Waildbf the bodyformed of doors hinged adjacent the floor thereof and opening outwardlyiand down? wardly as'the bodyis tilted. Theinvention'pertains specifically to mechanism mounted onqthe "body and engaging the underframe to control the opening and closing movements of; the doors by 5 r the relative positions-of the bodyand underframe.

' An object of the invention is to provide; a door controlling mechanism which will maintain the doors locked in-closedpositionwhen the body. is -0 horizontal, which will limit the opening and positively close. the doors as the-body moves relative to the underframe in nits dumping and righting movements. v Y I Another object of the invention is to providea door controlling mechanism which will maintain thedoors on the. rising side of the body closed when the body is tilted for dumping; I

A further object of the invention .is the .1310- vision or .a doormechanism which "positively moves thedoor from open to closed position and releases the door for moving fromclosedtoopen position solely. by gravity and permits closing of. the door independently of .thetilting movement of the body.

In the drawings forming part ofthis spe'cifica--' tion, Fig. 1 isr'artransverse vertical section through a. railroad car. equipped with one form-of the in-,'

; vention and having the body in normal position;

Fig. 2 is a, section similar to that. shown-in Fig. 1 with the body in fullytilted position; Figs. .3 and 4 are transverseqvertical sections through the car showing modifications'of the invention; Figs. v 5 and 6 are sections taken on the lines 5--5 and E6 of Fig. 1; Figs. 7 and8 are sections taken on .35

the lines 'l-'! and 8-8 of Figs. 3 and 4 respectively.

Referring now in detail tothe drawings where like reference characters refer to like parts, reference character I indicates generallya railroad' dumpcar having an under-frame comprising a center :sill structure 2 with ,laterally disposed members 3,seoured on opposite sidesof the center sill structure. 0n, theupper-face of some of the members 3 are'bearing surfaces 4 supporting the car body in normal position and concave bearing surfaces 5 spaced outwardly therefrom for supporting thebodywhilst tilting about the underframe. It is to be understood that if desired the body supporting bearings can be designed so as to engage but one bearing surface. on either of the members 3, both for supporting the body during-normal position and during tilting. t

Supportedon the underframe by. means of bearings 5 is atiltable body comprisingjtran's- I adjacent their respective door and pivotally connected with a downward extension I3 of the door. These door mechanisms are disposed on opposite sides of the underframe center sill structure 2 and the adjacent opposite mechanisms are connected by means of the link I4.

Each door controlling mechanism comprises a bifurcated link I5 pivotally mounted on a shaft I6 journaled in the bearing plates I2 and having a member I! mounted on the shaft I6 within the bifurcation of the link I5. The outer end of the link I5 is pivotally connected to a lever I8 by means of the pin I9, said outer link I8 having its outer end pivotally connected to the door extension I3 by means of the pin 20. Said lever I8 comprises an outer portion I8 pivotally mounted on the door extension I3 and an inner portion I8 with a threaded joint between the portions I8 and I8 to provide adjustment in the linkage formed of the links I5 and lever I8. Pivotally mounted on a shaft 2I journaled on the inner end of the lever I8 is a roller 22 engaging the upper face of the member H for the purpose of controlling movement of the links I 5 and lever I8. The shaft I6 on which the cam IT is pivotal 1y mounted is disposed below the upper surface of the center sill structure 21 and the cam I1 extends above the upper plane of the center sill structure and has a lug 23 on. its upper face pivotally connected to the link I4 by means of the pin 24. Secured to the center sill structure 2 and extending thereabove and adjacent each side thereof is a bracket 25 having a shaft 25 journaled therein 7 upon which is a roller 21 adapted to engage the adjacent cam ll of the adjacent door mechanism.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be obvious that with the body in normal position, the doors I0 forming the side walls of the body tend to rotate outwardly of the body by reason of the forces of gravity and the lading within the body acting upon both doors, and that the connection l5I8 between the door and the adjacent side of the body can only break upwardly by reason of the joint I9 being above a straight line drawn through the pins I6 and 20 at the ends of the jointed link. This upward movement of the connection I5I8 between the door and body is resisted by the roller 22 of the lever I8 engaging the cam I'I.

When the body is tilted about the right side of the underframe and moves from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2, the body pivots on the bearing I3 engaging the bearing surface 5 of the underframe and the door tends to rotate downwardly on its hinge pin II which rotation is resisted by roller 22 of link I8 engaging cam IT. This pivotal movement of the body tends to raise the cam H at the right side of the body above the roller 21 on the adjacent side of the underframe, thereby permitting the cam I! to rotate inwardly of the body upon the shaft I6. This rotation of the cam I1 raises the curved portion of the cam above the roller 22 on the lever I8, permitting the jointed connection I5 I8 to break upwardly and the door to open. It willbe obvious that the descending door III on the right side of the body could not impart any movement to the cam I'I associated with that door. This requisite movement of the cam I1 is provided by means of the link I4 and the cam IT on the opposite side of the body, it being noted that as the body rotates about the bearing 6 on the right side of the body, the cam IT on the left side of the body is forced into engagement with the roller 2'! on the left side of the underframe, causing the cam IT on the left side of the underframe to rotate toward its associated door and this movement is transmitted to the cam I1 on the opposite side of the body by means of the link I4. This movement of the cam I! on the left or rising side of the body maintains that cam in position to hold its associated door locked in closed position whilst the left side of the body is out of engagement with the underframe.

From the above description it will be obvious that the sole forces acting to open the door at the dumping side of the bodywere the forces of gravity and the weight of lading'against the door. The face of cam I1 engaged by roller 22 is so formed that cam I! can be rotated relative to roller 22 without necessity for movement of link I5 and lever I8, but lever I8 cannot move upwardly relative to cam I'I without prior movement of cam II because of the relative positions of link I5, roller 22 and face of cam I'I. Therefore, if for any reason the door does not open upon tilting of the body, the door or mechanism will not be damaged by continued tilting of the body, and if after partially opening the door strikes an obstruction, the door can move to closed position independently of continued tilting of the body. Likewise, it is also apparent that inasmuch as the cam I! must move above roller 22 before the door can open and upon opening of the door roller 22 engages the lower face of cam H, the rate at which the door can open is limited to the rate at which the'tilting body moves the back face of cam II relative to roller 2'! at the adjacent side of the underframe to permit rotation of cam II.

Upon return of the body from position shown by Fig. 2 to that shown by Fig. 1, the body in forcing cam I'I against roller 21 causes cam IT to rotate toward the adjacent door. This movement of cam II places lever I8 in compression and causes the open door to rotate into closed position as the body comes to rest upon the underframe. At the left or upper side of the body the cam I I and link I8, attached to the door on the left side of the body, do not change position relative to each other, thereby retaining their associated door in closed position until the body returns to normal position. Whilst it is true that there is some relative movement between cam I1 and roller 22 associated with the door at the left side of the body at the beginning of the tilting and at the end of the righting movements of the body, the movement is insufficient to release roller 22 from the curved face of cam IT and therefore the door cannot open.

It will be obvious that when the body is tilted about the left side of the underfram'e and about the bearings 6 on that side of the body, the operation of the door mechanism will be similar to that described supra excepting that the mechanism on the left side of the body will now become the active mechanism to control the opening and closing of the door and the mechanism on the right side of the body will remain inactive to maintain the door on the rising side of the body C Refeiringnowto-Figs. 3 and? of the drawings; all of the elements forming the body and underfranie'are'the same as sh'ownin Fig. 1 andlikewisea're the link I5 and lever i8 pivotally connecting the door extension It" to the pin Ni of the body. The cammember l I! isdifier'en't than initheprevioiisidisclosnre and is sh'o'wn-as'being norn ally in engagement with the roller I21 n'ioiinted on the center sill structure. When the body tilts about the opposite side of the underfrarne the roller [2! will again impart movement to' lthieica zn III 1 as previously described for cam ll. At the dumping side of the body'the'same' rela-' tive' movements between link" I5, lever f8 and I! take place aswas previously described in conhection with link 15, lever 7 l8 and cain" H.

, In Figs. 4 and 8 of the drawings is shown a fiiifhe'irnodification of the, invention, all of the seams of the door mechanism, the body and the meantime being the same as in Fig; 1 e ceptingthat the cain member 25"! has a roller 28' Inoiihted thereon and engaging a stop 29 mounted onf the center sill structure 2 for the purpose of'iniparting'nioveme'nt to the cam 2!?- when the body tilts about the opposite side of At the diunping side of the body roller 28 of cam12l1 moves about stop 29 the underfranie.

on-the under f rame to efiect the same control of cam 2H, link l5 and lever It as was previously desc ibed in .connectionwith cam 51, link I5 and lever I8 of Figs. 1' and 2.

Having thus described the invention, what I desire to seciire by Letters Patent is:' I

1. In a sump vehicle provided with an underfr'anie and a tilting body having opposite side mefi-t of the adjacent link and lever connection between the body and door for controlling the opening" and; closihg move nentsbf the door' as" the'bbdy moves in damping about the adjacent side ofthe nnderfrarne. I

V 2. In a dunip vehicle' in combination, an under frame, a body uppprted thereon and tiltable towarda side thereof, a door forming a sidewall of the bodyand hinged adjacent the floor thereof for opening outward and downward as the body is tilted, a link and lever onnection between said door and'ho'dy and disposed beldwthe plane of the floor of the bod'y,a' cam onthe body adrecent said link and lever connection, means on said connection engaging a face of said cam for maintaining the door in closed position when the stays in normal position, and means operablyponnecting said'cain and underframe town'- trol the dpemngand force the closing of the op'en at cr as the body moves the catnrel'ative to the undcrfrafne. during the tilting and rightingrnovemerits of the body. I

3 The combination in a duinfi-vehicle of an underframe, a body supported thereon for tilting to opposite sides thereof, doors forming side walls of the body and. hinged adjacent the floor thereof, a mechanism for each door comprising a link an'd lever connection between the door and the adjacent side of the body, a earn shaped membei ass-tente witii e'aeh linkam oeerablygefi g efgihg-saidlevei' rbr ntrmauy preventing relative; rotation between the and body,*a"link"coh-* neetiee between opposite cani shaped members,

and a bearin'g for each earn shaped-member upon the tinderfraine-adapted to engage said can'i. shaped-'rneniber npontilting of-the bodyior-actuatin'g' the said cani shaped members by relative inovemehtbetween the body and 'und'erfram'e.

4. In a dump vehicle of thech'aracter described,

in cornbinatiodan underfran'ie, atiltable body, oppesites'ide wal-ls for the may comprising'doors hinged adjacent" the floor of the body, an arm on 'each'door' depending below said hinge conseemin link on'thebody below the floor-thereof andadjac'e'nt each side" of thebody, a lever con n'ected to said door arms pivotal connection between said link and" lever. disposed above a straight line through the connections'between the link andleve'r'to the body and door, respectively,

21' earn inclnding angnlarly'dispos'ed faces-pivoted to the body adjacent each link, one face of the csmmrmany engaging said'leve'rfor preventing" I npwardrotation of-saidlink'to maintain the associated doorm closed position, ali'nk con necting 'saidcams" on opposite sides of the body and an abutment for each earn mounted on the underfranie inwardly and above'the connection between the adjacent cam and body for engage inent' during-tilting of the body to selectively control movement of the cam out of normal po"-- sitionat the dumping side'bfthe body.

5. In a dur np car'in' combination, an under frame, abody tiltably mounted thereon and pro vided with side wallscompr'ised of doors hinged adjacent the floor of the body fo r'gravitational opening, ineans for selectively tilting the body td opposite sides of the' underf'rame, a mechanism for eachldoor ounted on the bodya'djacerit the deer and selectively engaging the" underframe for antoir'iati'c control of the adjacent door during all positions of the body relative to the undername afid aconneetion between opposite door mechanisms whereby the mecha'fiismat one side of the body imparts a preliminary movement to themechahisniat' the dumping side of-the body 1 during theiiiitial tilting movements of the'bo'dy and independently of rnovementof the associated dob'rl 7 6 In a dump vehicle in combination; anunder frame aving a central p'ortioriqand laterally ex: tending side portions, a body supportedon' and tilt'able about said underfranie side portions, side" doo'rs""foi" said body hinged adjacent the floor thereof, a' mechanism for eachdoor disposed between the door and said underirarne'ce'ntral p'c'r-* tion and mounted on the body below theplane of said central portion, a pivoted cam meniber included in each mechanism, a compression mam: berfor each door and disposed between the ad'ja cent-canirhernber and associated door, each carri- I member being iii'ovablerelative to said compressioh member and underframe and actuated by engagementwith the underfr'arne during righting of the tilted body to effect the'clo'sing' ofthe'opert door through pressure exerted 'upon said com-" pressioii member.

71 The combination in a dump vehicle of the 1 character described, of an tindefiranie, a body'- tiltably supported thereon and provided with a downwardly opening door; an arm on said door depending below the body, a jointed compression member connected with said doorar-m' and with the body, and a campivoted to the body so' as 5 to be disposed between and engaged by saidthe body moves in dumping.

8. In a dump, vehicle in combination, an underframe, a body supported thereon and tiltable towards a side thereof for dumping, a door formingv a side wall of the body and hinged adjacent the floor thereof to open outward and downward when the body is tilted, said door having a portion depending below the said hinge connection to the body, a link pivoted to and beneath the body inwardly of said door, a lever connecting said link and depending door portion, and means mounted on the body engaging the lever and underframe to lock the door in closed position when the body is in normal position and to move the door from open to closed position when the body is returned from tilted to normal position.

9. In a dump vehicle, an underframe, a body, a door forming a side wall of the body and hinged adjacent the floor thereof, a bearing on the body adjacentsaid door for engagement with the underframe to maintain the body in stable equilibrium when in normal position and about which the body tilts in dumping, a link on the body inwardly of the door, a lever connecting the link and door, means pivoted beneaththe body and normally engaging the underframe and lever to maintain the door in closed position when the body is in normal position, said means moving relative to the underframe as the body moves in dumping to release said lever to permit the door to open by gravity and acting on said lever to force the closing of the door when the body is returned to normal position.

10. In-a dump vehicle in combination, an underframe, a body having a door forming a side wall of the body and hinged adjacent the floor thereof, laterally spaced supports between the body and the underframe tomaintain the body in stable equilibrium when in normal position, said support adjacent the: door providing for tilting of the body during dumping, a link pivoted beneath the body inwardly of the door, a lever connecting said link and door, a cam shaped member pivoted beneath the body and normally disposed between said lever and underframe to maintain the door in closed position, said cam moving with the body relative to the underframe during dumping to release the door for opening by gravity and rotated through movement relative to the underframe and in engagement therewith during return of the body to normal position to actuate said lever to force the return of the open door to closed position during the return movement of the body.

I 11 In a dump vehicle incombination, an underframe, a body, doors forming opposite side walls of the body and hinged adjacent the floor thereof, laterally disposed bearing supports secured beneath the body and engaging the underframe to maintain the body in stable equilibrium when in normal position, said body selectivelytilting about said supports during dumping to the opposite sides of the underframe, a link pivoted beneath the body adjacent each doorand inderframe during dumping to release the door for. opening by gravity and rotated through move ment relative to the underframe and in engagement therewith during return of the body to norm'al position to actuate said lever to force the return of the open door to closed position during the return movement of the body.

12. In a dump vehicle, having an underframe, a body tiltable selectively towards opposite sides of the underframe, doors hinged adjacent the floor of the body and forming side walls thereof, mechanisms adjacent each side wall of the body for controlling the movements of the doors when the body is in normal position and when tilting toward either side of the underframe, each said mechanism including a cam! shaped member pivotally mounted on the body adjacent each door and forming part of a compression lock between the door and body, a link connection between said cams on opposite sides-of the body and means on the underframe engaging at least one of said connected cam members when the body moves relative to the underframe in dumping.

13. In a dump vehicle, in combination, an underframe, a body supported thereon and tilting toward opposite sides thereof, doors forming opposite side walls of the body and hinged adjacent the floor thereof, an arm on each door depending below said hinge connection, a link adjacent each side of the body, a lever connecting each link and the adjacent door arm, acam associated with each said link and lever connection,v

a link connection between opposite cams, each said cam, linkand lever-forming a compression lock between the associated door and adjacent side of the body for maintaining the door closed when the body is in normal position, and means on the underframe selectively engaging one of said cams as the-body moves in dumping to release the lock of the-door at the dumping side of the body.

14. In a dump vehicle, in combination, an underframe, a body sup-ported thereon for tilting to opposite sides thereof, doors forming opposite side walls of the body and hinged adjacent the floor thereof, an arm on eachdoor depending below said hinge connection, a jointed connection between each said door arm and the body, a cam rotatably mounted on the body adjacent the joint of each said jointed connection, a bearing engagement between each cam and adjacent jointed connection, each cam having a bearing face normally in engagement with said jointed connection which prevents breaking of the joint of said connection when the body is in normal position and when the side of the body at which the cam is mounted is out of engagement with the underframe, and a second bearing face which engages the underframe to control the upward breaking of said jointed connection when the body tilts about the adjacent side of the underframe and a connection between opposite cams for controlling rotation of said cams through movement of the body relative to the underframe. 15. In a dump vehicle, a lading carrying body tiltable to either side of the vehicle, opposite body side walls formed of doors hinged adjacent the floor and opening outward uponv tilting of the body, an arm on each door depending below the hinge connection between door and body, a compression lock between each door arm and the adjacent portion of the body,,each said compression lock being supported wholly by the body and door when in locked position, a link connection between said locks on opposite sides of the ver hicle, and means below the body and separatev therefrom for selective engagement by said compression locks for automatically acting through said link connection to release the door at the dumping side of the body for opening when the body is tilted.

16. In a dump vehicle provided with an underframe and a tilting body having opposite side walls hinged adjacent the floor thereof, the combination of a link on the body adjacent each door, a lever connecting said link and the adjacent door, a cam-shaped member pivotally mounted on the body adjacent each link, and means operably connecting said cam-shaped members and the vehicle underframe to selectively move each cam-shaped member relative to the body upon relative movement between the body and underframe so as to dispose the cam in the path of movement of the adjacent link and lever connection between the body and door to control the opening and closing movements of the door as the body moves in dumping about the adjacent side of the underframe.

17. In a dump vehicle in combination, anunderframe, a body supported thereon and tiltable toward a side thereof, a door forming a side wall of the body and hinged adjacent the floor thereof for opening outward and downward as the body is tilted, a link and lever connection between said door and body and disposed below the plane of the floor of the body, a cam pivotally mounted on the body adjacent said link and lever connection, means on said connection engaging a face of said cam for maintaining the door in closed position when the body is in normal position, and means operably connecting said cam and underframe to move the camrelative to the body to control the opening and force the closing of the open door as the body moves the cam relative to the underframe during the tilting and righting movements of the body.

18. In a dump vehicle provided with an underframe and a tiltable body having opposite side walls hinged adjacentthe floor thereof, the combination of an arm on each door depending below said hinge connection, a link on said body adjacent each door, a lever pivoted to each said door arm and pivotally connected to the adjacent link, and a cam pivoted to the body adjacent each door, a link connection between opposite cams, means on each door lever engaging the adjacent cam to retain the assoicated door in closed position when the body is in normal upright position and means on said underframe adjacent each cam for selective engagement therewith to control the opening and closing of the associated door as the body tilts in dumping.

v 19. In a dump vehicle provided with an underframe, a body mounted thereon for tilting to opposite sides thereof and doors forming opposite side walls of the body and hinged adjacent the floor thereof, the combination of a link and lever connection between each door and an adjacent portion of the body below the floor of the body, a cam-shaped member mounted on the body beneath the floor thereof and adjacent each door, means on each said door lever for engagement with said adjacent cam as the door in opening moves the lever inwardly of the body and means operably connecting the opposite cams and the underframe to selectively actuate each cam by relative movement between the body and underframe to dispose each cam in the path of movement of the adjacent door lever to control the opening and closing movements of the respective door as the body moves in dumping.

2C. In a dump vehicle provided with an underframe, a body supported thereon and tiltable about opposite sides thereof in dumping, doors forming opposite side walls of the body and hinged adjacent the floor thereof, the combination in a door controlling mechanism for each door of a cam pivotally mounted on the body adjacent each door, a link connection between opposite cams, means on the underframe adjacent each cam for selective engagement therewith to rotate the cam at the dumping side of the body in a direction opposite to that of the body as the body moves relative to the underframe in dumping; and means pivotally connected to each door and an adjacent side of the body for movement with the door as the latter moves in opening and closing and including a portion engaging with the adjacent cam to control said movements of the door.

21. In a dump vehicle provided with an underframe, a body supported thereon in stable equilibrium when the body is in normal upright position and selectively tilting to opposite sides thereof, and doors hinged adjacent the floor of the body to form opposite side walls of the body. the combination of a mechanism adjacent each door and wholly supported by the body, a connec-- tion between opposite mechanisms, and means on the underframe alternately engaging with said connected mechanisms to control the opening and closing of the doors as the body is tilted and righted in dumping about either side of the un-- derframe.

CARL W. MILLER; 

